By-polls in Trichy, Indira Nagar underway

TIRUCHIRAPALLI: The bypoll to Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirapalli-West (Trichy West) assembly constituency began Thursday morning.Though there are 16 candidates in the fray, the real fight is between AIADMK's M.Paranjothi and DMK's former transport minister K.N. Nehru.Polling began at 8 a.m. at 240 voting booths. As many as 208,447 people are eligible to cast their votes.According to poll officials, the election process will be webcast.The bypoll was necessitated following the death of AIADMK's Mariam Pitchai in an accident in May. In the April assembly polls, Pitchai defeated Nehru with a margin of around 7,000 votes.In the 234 member assembly, the ruling AIADMK has 149 members, followed by DMDK 29, DMK 23, CPI-M 10, CPI 9, Congress 5, PMK 3, MMK 2, PT 2, All India Forward Bloc 1 and 1 vacant.Indira Nagar (Puducherry)By-poll in the Indira Nagar assembly constituency of Puducherry was in progress Thursday, with around 29,000 people eligible to vote.Polling began at 8 a.m. The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of All India NR Congress (AINRC) head and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy who has retained the Kadirkamam seat.There are seven candidates in the fray. But the serious contest is between AINRC's candidate A. Tamilsevane, the nephew of Rangasamy, and Congress' K. Aroumougam.AINRC won 15 seats in the April assembly elections. AIADMK, which had fought the polls in alliance with AINRC, has fielded A. Venkateswaran.AIADMK had won five seats in the April election, the Congress led alliance won nine seats and others 1.